Here
by Her Head In the Clouds
Summary: "Cyclonis didn't really hurt me... I'm okay." Aerrow knew instantly that was the biggest lie he'd ever heard her say... AerrowPiper


_**A/n: **Amozon28 and I once had a convo about how many fans love AerrowPiper stories without them being an AerrowPiper pairing and I think that is smart and a more compelling idea. Don't you think?_

_Haha, well I wanna keep going and say, hey guys! Oh my gosh it's been like, a trillion years! I miss you all and this show severely! So out of what's left of my decent soul, here's a simple AP ficlet for all of you back to school/work this September. :) Enjoy!_

_Dedication:: For **Amozon28 **who suggested this idea to me more than a year ago (haha I'm sorry hun, I know I suck!) and considered that I wrote a tribute to Episode 6, 'Best Friends Forever' when Aerrow had that moment with Piper without Finn ruining it. She probably already wrote it herself haha but here's my contribution to that pile. Muah! :)_

_Oh and other quick author babble! I recently caught up with the Storm Hawks producer, Jim Su, at the Toronto Fan Expo this late August. He signed me a free copy of their special edition comic and said (generally) that 'even though the fan base is small, it's really nice that [we] are still fans of the show he helped to create and says thank you to everyone who helped support it.' Gave no word on if the show has a chance to come back though. :(_

* * *

**_Here_**  
**_August 10, 2012_**  
**_by: Her Head in the Clouds_**

* * *

"A... I'm okay."

But just because she shook her head to reassure him, Aerrow caught the downcast of her eyes before she lifted her carnelian orbs to him. He stood still for another moment, feeling the way the air currents from the hallway behind him pushed gently onto his back and past him into Piper's room.

No one else was around so the creaks and moans of the decade-old air vessel lurched audibly. As was his feelings toward Piper's covered feelings.

Aerrow sighed. Better to confront her privately than to put her on the spot should anyone else pop into their moment. He took two strides forward, just enough for her door to _swish _behind him and close them in a perfect bubble of secrets. His eyebrows immediately furrowed gently.

"Did you do it?"

Piper's eyes lifted her face just a bit higher when the question popped up. While she admired his subtle charge as he towered over her, Piper was also a bit nervous. When it came to dark uneasy topics, Aerrow and she would glide around each other like they were on ice - no too thin to fall through, but pressing the other from behind encouragingly with comforting, shallow support. There still was, as Stork would say, 'always impending doom.'

"...Do what?"

Aerrow leaned back a little on his heel and put a hand on her table to steady his stance. He hated to be the one that put the worried squint in her eyes. But he needed to know.

"Give her your trust?"

Piper frowned and looked back onto her eruption stone. She squeezed it gently, letting its green light shine brighter.

"I gave her friendship, Aerrow. I thought she was genuine," she snickered softly, "...can you really blame me?"

When she looked up and searched his face for an answer, Aerrow flickered his eyes around hers. Yet all he could see was the giggling, girlish Piper hours earlier who was smiling eat-to-ear with another girl, chatting and sharing secrets a league a minute. He smiled sadly.

"No, I guess I can't."

Piper tried to push the negative thoughts away and shook her head, slightly huffed.

"She really made me believe that we ...that she and I were-"

"You don't have to say it."

"But I-"

"Piper."

Piper zipped her mouth shut hesitantly. He hated to go all authoritative on her but it was rare to see her go around and around in circles with her thoughts and not think of any other way to look at it... the way _he_ wanted her to look it. She had so many others willing to lay down their lives and hearts for her, but he ultimately knew why this one seemed to sting a little more.

Then she shrugged and pretended to fiddle with a pencil on her worktable.

"Am I destined to never have 'girl' friends?"

So _what,_ guys weren't enough to be a BFF? He chuckled despite himself and crossed his arms.

"I'm offended."

She rolled her eyes playfully.

"Aerrow!"

"I'm kidding!"

Piper gave him a gentle smile.

"Yeah, I knew that..."

He grinned back and raised an eyebrow teasingly.

"Then why'd you say it?"

"Because I wanted to make sure that _this_ friendship is still real."

And when she gestured the bond that he and her shared with her two fingers, Aerrow blinked. He uncrossed his arms slowly.

"Piper..." But she continued as she shook her head softly, her orange eyes widening in explanation and thought.

"I don't want to wake up one day and find out you ..._all_ of you gone. Or that I never had friends like you in the first place and I just imagined i-"

He placed a strong hand over hers to shut her up. He smirked when the touch seemed to halt her speech.

"Still dreaming?"

Piper blinked then she tilted her head slightly with a curious smile.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Despite himself, he winked at her. She shook her head smiling.

"Nope, you're real."

He grinned softly as he watched her close her eyes with that realisation.

"Still here, Piper."

And for the rest of the day, thoughts of Lark ...Cyclonis were momentarily replaced with the comfort she found in the warmth of his smile and bright, red hair.

The witch would get what was coming to her later.

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_~Yes so fuzzy. As usual, I'm happy with the outcome. Hopefully there's more to come for AP fics. I still have so many ideas! I just love, as me and Amozon28 have already discussed, writing this pairing in this warm, innocent atmosphere. Sigh. So refreshing. :) Haha well, I hope you enjoyed reading, thanks again, and stay gold!_

_Much love, Abby~_


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